The fun of 'farm to frame'

In Yudong village, Quzhou, Zhejiang province, a pebble-paved street congratulates visitors for finding this hidden gem. It guides them along old stucco houses — some of which remain in use as residences, some as boutiques or places to relax, and others where one can learn how to paint. Within each is the chance to discover rural farmer paintings.

For those who have never seen them, one's guess about what a "farmer painting" looks like is probably in some ways correct. The style is uncomplicated — perspective is created by stacking vertically and shading is absent. Themes are almost exclusively about harvesting, whether it be fruit, flowers, or fish. Despite this simplicity, the limited vocabulary of these paintings says so much about life here and how people feel about it.

While farmer paintings have a repetitiveness both within individual works and across artists, the simple forms and primary colors recall what farming is all about. In a rural farming village such as this, repeating what others have done is a way of life. There's no reason to reinvent the wheel. The same movements have been made for hundreds of generations, the same animals have been reared in the same way, year after year, in this village and that village.

For many of us in the city, repetition can be frightening; we constantly crave novelty. Yet for these farmers, repetition is nothing to be afraid of — it means abundance where the more is truly the merrier.

The charm of Chinese farmer art comes from seeing the world through their eyes. "Farmer paintings feature full compositions, vivid colors, and clear lines, depicting the interesting aspects of rural life and the everyday activities of ordinary people," explains Yu Bin, who manages the village's tourism and art resources.

The simple styles celebrate simple living where one's happiness is right in front of them. As these paintings inspire the viewer, the village's surroundings that once felt empty now burst with life. Trees transform into their own patterns, fields become symbols of prosperity, and village streets turn into places of community.

The farmer paintings in Yudong village do what all good art should: show people a different world — one full of fun and life.

Elliot Maldonado is a US expert at China Daily Website.